The Levite & the Concubine
by Hadassah
Summary: R & R. See what happens when Adena runs away from her husband! What will he do?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. Judges 19:1 NKJV_

Adena glanced up shyly at her new husband Arvad. He was tall and slender, but she could see the muscles in his arms and legs. His wavy crow black hair fell to his shoulders, the same length as his beard. She briefly wondered why he had come so far in search of a wife. Adena shook the thought out of her head. She didn't want to be married to him. Adena's mouth formed a pout.

"Adena, let's stop here for the night."

Adena glanced around. It was still pretty bright out, but she could see that the sun was slowly disappearing beyond the edge of the horizon. "Must we?" She whined. "Can't we find a house in which to lodge overnight? I don't want to sleep on the ground."

Arvad glanced down with annoyance. His voice hardened. "We're stopping here."

"So don't listen to me." Adena mumbled. She slid of her donkey into the shade of a sycamore tree. "I don't like it. What if we get robbed or something?"

Arvad roared with laughter. "Adena, Adena, who would rob a poor group of small travelers?"

Adena turned away, her cheeks aflame from Arvad's slight. "Plenty of people I'm sure," she mumbled to herself.

Arvad watched her turn away with pity and a little disgust. He'd had to pay a dear price for her to become his bride. But it was worth it. Chocolate brown eyes and windblown honey brown hair complemented her nearly flawless complexion. He closed his eyes with the memory of the night before. She had been all deliciousness then. 'Ah well,' he thought as he turned away to make camp.

A Week Later

"This is your home?" Adena exclaimed with a hint of displeasure in her voice.

"Yes, it is." Arvad's voice held pride as he looked at his cozy little cottage.

"It'll do," Adena said eyeing it critically. "Is there a place I can bathe? I'm filthy from the journey!" Adena's voice had risen steadily through this declaration.

"There's a mountain stream behind the cottage."

"B'emet? (Really) That's the first thing I'll do." Adena grabbed a satchel of fresh clothes and headed down to the stream.

Arvad watched her go, disappointed that she hadn't wanted to see the inside of her new home. He shrugged his shoulders. 'It'll give me time to unpack,' he thought despairingly.

Adena entered the cottage an half hour later fresh from the stream. "That was sooo refreshing."

"Glad you liked it." Arvad faced her. "A tour of your new home?"

Adena tilted her head as she considered it for the briefest second. "B'vakasha (Please)."

Arvad swept his hand around the room. "This is the main living area. Back here . . ." He strolled to the doorway and swept aside the cloth partition. "This is our bedroom." He allowed Adena a quick peek before showing her the steps to the roof.

When the tour of the house and surrounded acreage was completed, Adena sat in the shade of a mountain tree. "Is there a village nearby?"

"There's one several hours into the valley. I usually only go there once or twice a month."

Adena's eyelashes drooped as she contemplated this. "Is there any chance that you'll be going there? I should like to meet my new neighbors."

"I think we could work it in, in the next several days."

"Todah."(Thank you)

The next night as Adena lay in bed next to Arvad her thoughts turned back in time before she was married and before that dreadful night.

"Chaim, swing me around!" Four-year-old Adena cried.

"I'm tired." Adena's older brother Chaim gasped.

"More, more, more!" Adena sang as she hopped around Chaim.

"Regah (one minute)."

Adena smiled into the darkness at the fond memory of her own innocence. Of course, back then she had no clue of the shadow that was going to be cast over her life. Adena wrenched her mind away from the dark unsettling topic as she yawned. Here she was beside her husband and all she could think about was how her life could have been different. Adena stifled a yawn and let her eyes drift closed as weariness overtook her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

_The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.Psalms 1:4_

"This is the town?" Adena asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Arvad hoisted a sack off his shoulder. "While I take care of business you can wander around town." He reached into his pouch and pulled out several coins. "Here, if you want to buy anything."

"Todah." Adena glanced at him through lowered lashes then turned and scanned the street. Several shops appeared interesting. Adena waved to Arvad as she moved down the street. Several shops later, Adena came to one that held exotic silks and perfumes. She lingered near the stall fingering silks and breathing in the incense.

"You wish to buy?"

Adena jumped and looked at the merchant. "Just looking. Thanks anyway." Even so Adena couldn't bring herself to leave the shop and go someplace affordable. As she picked up a bottle of perfume and studied it a voice behind her reached her ears.

"You deserve everything you desire."

"What?" Adena turned around to see a tall man with dark eyes and blond hair speaking to her.

"Such a shayna maideleh (beautiful girl) deserves lovely things. The man reached out and took the bottle of essence that Adena was holding. "I'm paying."

Flabbergasted, Adena replied, "Todah."

The man made the transaction then escorted Adena down the street. "Slicha. (Forgive me) I didn't introduce myself. I'm called Eli."

"Eli. What a nice name!" Adena exclaimed. "I'm Adena. I live with my husband Arvad up in the mountain."

"I know where he lives." Eli gave Adena a charming grin. "In fact, I live only a mile away."

"How nice. I'll be sure to come over and visit."

Adena stopped to examine some fruit. She turned an orange over and over in her hand. "This looks nice."

"I'll buy," came the quick offer.

"Don't bother." Adena smiled up at him. "I've enough money for it."

When Adena had finished purchasing two oranges she put them into her basket. She looked up and saw Arvad approaching.

Arvad barely glanced at Eli. "Come on Adena. It's getting late."

"Coming." As Adena left with Arvad she covertly waved goodbye to Eli.

"I don't want you meeting with him!" Arvad stared at Adena.

She stood with her chin up and her eyes sparkled with rage. "I told him I would visit; just one visit. What's wrong with that?"

"Everything!" Arvad exploded. "I forbid you to go over there."

Adena stared at Arvad defiantly as her mind started calculating. She lowered her eyes. "Very well," she said in a meek voice. "I'm going to hunt for herbs." Adena turned and swept majestically out the door.

Arvad stared after her, baffled at her quick change of emotions. He turned and shrugged it off as some feminine quirk.

Adena grabbed her herb basket even though she wasn't planning on getting many herbs. She was planning to see Eli. When she was out of sight from the house, she changed directions to a concealed meadow. When she got there Eli was not insight so she settled down to wait. As she waited, she idly picked several herbs and placed them in her basket.

"Shalom, Adena." (Hello/Goodbye. Also means peace)

Adena whirled around to see Eli standing right behind her, his light hair glinting in the sun. "Shalom, Eli." Adena drew away from him because he was standing rather close. She vaguely sensed that he was dangerous. "You're looking well today."

"And you myshayna maideleh. Arvad didn't come?" He asked, not the least bit disappointed.

"No her doesn't want to associate with you." Adena replied.

"We can still talk. Come, walk with me."

As Adena stepped forward, she had the feeling that she was playing with fire.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_But his concubine played the harlot against him and went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem of Judah, and was there four whole months.Judges 19:2_

Six Months Later

"Come with me. We'll leave this place and go someplace new to live. You can leave that lout of a husband behind."

Adena wavered. This wasn't the first time Eli had asked her that. She had continued meeting him against her husband's wishes. Indeed, he didn't know about her meetings. There was just something about Eli that drew her. She hadn't meant anything by it at first, but was gradually drawn deeper into the web of deceit and deception. "No, I can't."

"Why?" Eli grabbed her arms; his voice growing louder as he spoke. "Why not?"

"I just can't. Not yet." Adena covered her face in her hands and fled.

"Where were you today?" Arvad glared at Adena.

"I was picking flowers to brighten the house."

"There's not many for you being out so long picking them."

"I had a hard time finding them." Adena's defense sounded weak to her own ears.

"What were you really doing?" Arvad's eyes were fairly glowing with rage.

"I told you! Why can't you believe me?"

"Because once I saw you meeting with that no good Eli when you were supposedly doing something else!"

"Spy!" Adena glared at Arvad. "I can't live with you any more! I'm leaving!" She made good her promise when she whirled around and started stuffing her few possessions into a bag. "Don't follow me, Arvad. I don't want you near me!"

Arvad followed Adena to the door. "Please, don't go let's work this out."

"No. I do not wish to see you again." Adena sung around with her long hair flying out behind her. "Slicha." (Forgive me)

Arvad watched in despair as Adena disappeared into the forest. "No matter what Adena. I will find you."

"Eli!"

"Adena?" Eli asked in genuine surprise. "What are you doing back here so soon? I would have thought you were back with Arvad lapping up his goodness."

"Eli, I changed my mind. I'm going to come with you."

"I'm all packed. We can leave at the crack of dawn."

"Tomorrow morning? Where am I going to spend the night?" Adena stepped back, uncertain for the first time.

"Why here of course!" Eli stared at Adena. "You're not going to back out now are you?"

"No, of courses not." Adena stubbornly pushed away her doubts at hearing Eli's faint mocking. "I'll stay."

"I'm so glad that I don't have to walk. I'm tired as it is."

"Adena, it was my pleasure." Eli finished eating his food that night by the campfire. "Another couple days and we'll be in our new home."

"Right now we are less than a days journey away from my father's house." Adena looked thoughtfully in that direction.

"Who cares about your family? You have me."

"I guess you're right." Adena looked down at her plate. "Still, it would be nice to see my family."

"Would they want to see you after all that you have done?" Eli asked sarcastically.

"Probably not. My dad would tell me to go right back to my husband and beg his forgiveness."

"See? They're old fashioned. We are in a new age."

"I guess so."

Later that night Adena was awakened by something not quite right. "Eli?" she whispered. She looked around in the pitch-black night and thought she saw some movement. Not feeling brave she crept out of her blanket and crawled into the underbrush.

Not to soon, either. With yells bandits swooped down onto their camp. Hidden, Adena could only helplessly watch as they slaughtered Eli and began to go through their stuff. Not finding much more than a pouch of gold, they nudged Eli's dead body into the ravine and left.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry I've taken so long to update. I ran out of ideas, and haven't been on the internent much this summer. I will try to do better. And about Adena, I know woman weren't suppose to speak like that to their husbands, but I needed her to, for the sake of the story. . .**

Chapter 4

"_Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly, nor stands in eh paths of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. . ."_

As the sun rose in the sky, Adena uncovered enough from her shock to creep out and look for her belongings. She salvage several items, but found no more that she could carry by herself. Wiping her hand over her grimy and tearstained face and facing the road with nowhere to go back to, she started for her father's house.

"Father?" Adena's voice quivered with fatigue and fright even though she tried to stop it.

Her father appeared in the door, his face confused. "Adena? What are you doing back here? I thought you were with your husband."

Adena lowered her head in shame. "I um. . ." she looked back up, her eyes pleading. "Can I stay here for the time being? Please?" she begged.

Her father studied her for a second. "You may have shelter under my roof."

Adena sighed. "Todah." (Thank you.)

As the months went by, Adena stayed securely under her father's roof with her mother and her two younger brothers. This day she was working on her sewing as her mother slipped up on the roof to talk.

"Adena?"

"Yes, Mother?"

Sarai sat down across from her daughter and studied her face. It was lined with sorrow and a hint of shame. Sarai took a beep breath and started. "You and I have never spoken about why you are back. Was Arvad not a good husband? Did he divorce you?"

Adena jerked her head up to look at her mother. "No!" She stopped and started again. "I'm sorry for shouting, Mother. He was a good husband, but. . ." she trailed off.

"What?" Sarai prompted.

Adena sighed and closed her eyes. "I cannot tell you."

Sarai was about to say something, but Micah her younger son came dashing up the stairs. He halted, breathless.

"What is it, Son?"

"Arvad's here! And he's looking for Adena!"

At the news, Adena's face turned to ash and she had to brace herself, lest she faint.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he was glad to meet him. Judges 19:3 NKJV_

Arvad stood at the door of his father-in-law's house, the palms of his hands sweaty. What would happen? The man whom Arvad recognized as Adena's father answered his knock.

Adena's father, Alon stood at the door, staring out at the young man who stood there. "Yes?"

"Sir, I was wondering if Adena was here?"

Alon stared at the young man before recognition came. "You're Adena's husband! Yes, yes, Adena is here. She is on the roof with her mother. Come."

Not two minutes later, Arvad saw his wife for the first time in a little over four months. "Adena. You're looking well."

Adena stiffened slightly at the look in his eyes. He knew! Of course, she would have been surprised if he hadn't known. Quietly she replied. "Arvad, I wasn't expecting you."

Arvad turned to Adena's parents. "May we talk alone?"

"Yes, yes."

Adena watched silently as her parents and younger brother left the roof, leaving her alone with her husband, the one she had wronged. As soon as she was sure that her family was out of hearing rage, she spoke spitefully. "What are you going to do?"

Arvad looked at her, anger glinting in their depths. "You are coming back with me, and there you will stay."

"I see I have no choice. You have neatly planned my future out for me."

"Adena," Arvard's voice was quiet, but filled with rage. "Don't forget. You are my wife and you will do as I say. We will leave immediately."

Adena nodded, quietly accepting her fate. Silently she descended the stairs and saw her father standing there. "Father, we are going home."

Alon looked between the two. "Arvad has just arrived. Surely you would not leave before being refreshed. Come stay the night."

Arvad glanced at Adena's father, feeling caught. "We will stay, but we must leave in the morning. We cannot waste time."

They stayed the night, but the next morning Alon found reasons to detain them once again, and so they spent several more days in Bethlehem. Finally, to Arvad's relief they left Adena's house and started the long journey back home.


End file.
